A Merry Devil - Launcelot Gobbo in the Merchant of Venice A Merry Devil: Launcelot Gobbo in The Merchant of Venice From The Fools of Shakespeare by Frederick Warde. London: McBride, Nast & Company. In that delightful comedy, "The Merchant of Venice," we have a type of the shrewd but ignorant serving man, or boy, drawn on the same lines as Launce and Speed in "The Two Gentlemen of Verona," and the two Dromios, in "The Comedy of Errors," but apparently younger and less matured than either of them. His name is Launcelot Gobbo, a fact of which he is somewhat proud. He has a crude philosophy and a rude kind of wit. He uses big words and misapplies them most ingenuously. He is good-natured, full of fun, and rejoices in a practical jest. Launcelot is the servant to Shylock, a wealthy Jewish merchant and money lender of Venice, with whom he lives and of whom he stands in wholesome awe.

His fun-loving nature, however, has served to brighten the dull and dreary home of that stern and revengeful gentleman, a fact that Jessica, the Jew's daughter, frankly acknowledges in her first interview with the boy. Our house is hell, and thou a merry devil Did'st rob it of some taste of tediousness. Launcelot does not appear until the second scene of the second act of the comedy, when we find him stealthily leaving his master's house. We learn that he feels aggrieved at some apparent wrong at the hands of his employer, and is debating whether to remain in his service, or to run away. His soliloquy or self-argument on the point is most entertaining. He would be just, but being both plaintiff and defendant, as well as advocate and judge of the question at issue, he can scarcely be credited with impartiality. However, the motives that he frankly acknowledges, and the reasons he advances are most delightfully human, and most humorously expressed. The entire passage is a quaint, and by no means unnatural, self-contention between duty and inclination; the conclusion, as a matter of course, being in favor of inclination.

Certainly, my conscience will serve me to run from this Jew, my master: the fiend is at mine elbow, and tempts me, saying to me, "Gobbo, Launcelot Gobbo, good Launcelot, or good Gobbo, or good Launcelot Gobbo, use your legs, take the start, run away." My conscience says - "No; take heed, honest Launcelot; take heed, honest Gobbo; or," as aforesaid, "honest Launcelot Gobbo; do not run; scorn running with thy heels." - Well, the most courageous fiend bids me pack; via! says the fiend; away, says the fiend; for the heavens rouse up a brave mind, says the fiend, and run.

Well, my conscience, hanging about the neck of my heart, says very wisely to me - "my honest friend Launcelot, being an honest man's son" - or rather an honest woman's son; - for, indeed, my father did something smack, something grow to, - he had a kind of taste; - well, my conscience says - Launcelot, budge not;" "budge," says the fiend; budge not," says my conscience. Conscience, say I, you counsel well; fiend, say I, you counsel well; to be ruled by my conscience, I should stay with the Jew, my master, who, Heaven bless the mark! is a kind of devil; and, to run away from the Jew, I should be ruled by the fiend, who, saving your reverence, is the devil himself: certainly, the Jew is the very devil incarnation, and, in my conscience, my conscience is but a kind of hard conscience, to offer to counsel me to stay with the Jew : the fiend gives the more friendly counsel! I will run; fiend, my heels are at your commandment, I will run.

However, Launcelot does not run; he is spared that violence to his conscientious scruples by the unexpected advent of his father, an old Italian peasant, whose voice is heard calling in the distance, and halts the would-be runaway. Launcelot's decision of character is not very marked, nor his resentments very strong, for in a moment his wrongs are forgotten, and he is designing a practical jest on his aged parent.

"O heavens!" he exclaims, "this is my true-begotten father; who, being more than sand-blind, high-gravel-blind, knows me not: - I will try confusions with him." Old Gobbo, bent with age, almost blind, and feeling his way by the aid of a staff, hobbles on the scene; he carries a small basket on his arm, and in a voice of "childish treble" cries: "Master young gentleman, I pray you, which is the way to master Jew's?" Launcelot takes the old fellow by the shoulders, and turns him first to the right, then to the left, and finally completely round, giving him the following, somewhat confusing directions: "Turn up on your right hand at the next turning, but at the next turning of all, on your left; marry, at the very next turning, turn of no hand, but turn down directly to the Jew's house." Small wonder that the old man exclaims: "By God's sonties, 'twill be a hard way to hit." However, he is seeking and most anxious to find his son, and as soon as he has recovered from the jolting he has received at the

 hands of his demonstrative informant, he asks him the following most extraordinary and confusing question: "Can you tell me whether one Launcelot, that dwells with him, dwell with him, or no?" This is excellent matter for the boy to try confusions with, so he answers question with question, prefacing it, however, with an aside, "Mark me now; now will I raise the waters.

Talk you of young Master Launcelot?" But the old man will not admit that his son is entitled to the dignity of "Master" Launcelot: so that eccentric young gentleman, who certainly has a novel sense of humor, tells him that his son is dead.

The sincere grief of the old man evidently shames the boy, for he quickly changes his tone, and asks: "Do you know me, father?" Old Gobbo pitifully replies: "Alack, sir, I am sand blind; I know you not." This induces some shrewd observations from Launcelot, which are worthy of note: "If you had your eyes, you might fail of the knowing me: it is a wise father that knows his own child." Launcelot then kneels down with his back to his father, and continues: "Give me your blessing: truth will come to light, murder cannot be hid long, a man's son may, but in the end truth will out." The old man has been deceived once and hesitates; upon which Launcelot exclaims with some impatience: "Pray you, let's have no more fooling about it, but give me your blessing; I am Launcelot, your boy that was, your son that is, your child that shall be." Still the old man is not convinced, and protests: "I cannot think you are my son." To which Launcelot answers: "I know not what I shall think

 of that; but I am sure Margery, your wife, is my mother." This is conclusive, and Old Gobbo proceeds to lay his hand upon his son's head to give him his blessing; but Launcelot having knelt with his back towards him, the paternal hand encounters the back of the boy's head which is crowned with a luxurious growth of hair, and causes the old man to exclaim: "Lord worshipp'd might he be!

what a beard thou hast got: thou hast got more hair on thy chin than Dobbin, my fill-horse, has on his tail." Which informs us, that though "exceeding poor," Gobbo is sufficiently well off to own a shaft horse, and as he subsequently states, he has brought a dish of doves as a present to Launcelot's master, we may infer that he and his wife Margery cultivate a piece of ground, or a small farm outside the city; and possibly raise pigeons and doves, a not uncommon industry among the Italian peasantry. Having established his identity with his father, Launcelot proceeds to tell him of his intention to run away from the Jew's service, and we gather his reason to be, that he does not get sufficient food to satisfy his youthful appetite; but perhaps the fact that the Lord Bassanio is engaging servants, and giving them "rare new liveries," may be the temptation. The contemptuous reference to the Jewish race by this ignorant boy, and his vulgar pun on the word Jew are significant indications of the general prejudice against the Jews at this period; not only in Venice, but in all parts of the civilized world.

Well, well; but, for mine own part, as I have set up my rest to run away, so I will not rest till I have run some ground. My master's a very Jew; give him a present! give him a halter; I am famish in his service; you may tell every finger I have with my ribs. Father, I am glad you are come; give me your present to one Master Bassanio, who indeed gives rare new liveries; if I serve not him, I will run as far as God has any ground. - O rare fortune! here comes the man: - to him, father; for I am a Jew if I serve the Jew any longer. The interview between Old Gobbo, his son, and the Lord Bassanio is delightfully entertaining. Launcelot's usual volubility halts in the presence of the young nobleman, and his father's assistance becomes necessary to prefer the suit "impertinent" to himself, and express "the very defect of the matter." However, the suit is granted, and Launcelot is instructed to take leave of his old master, and report at the lodgings of his new employer.

The self-satisfaction of Master Launcelot at his success is most humorously expressed, and with an egotism equally amusing; while his optimistic views of the future, obtained from the lines in his hand, indicate a confidence in the science of palmistry, which the author evidently does not share. Father, in. - I cannot get a service, no; I have ne'er a tongue in my head. - Well, if any man in Italy have a fairer table, which doth offer to swear upon a book! - I shall have good fortune. - Go to, here's a simple line of life; here's a small trifle of wives; alas! fifteen wives is nothing! eleven widows and nine maids is a simple coming-in for one man; and then to 'scape drowning thrice, and to be in peril of my life from the edge of a feather bed, - here are simple 'scapes. Well, if Fortune be a woman, she's a good wench for this gear. - Father, come; I'll take my leave of the Jew in the twinkling of an eye.

Notwithstanding his scruples of conscience that caused him so much anxiety, when we first met him, Launcelot has not been entirely loyal to his master, and on leaving we find him secretly bearing a letter from Jessica, the Jew's daughter, to her young Christian lover, Lorenzo. The missive requires a reply which Launcelot obtains verbally, and the cunning young rascal cleverly manages to convey it to the young Jewess, while bearing an invitation to her father, from his new master, Bassanio. His words are not brilliant, but serve to indicate his ingenuity. Mistress, look out at window, for all this; There will come a Christian by, Will be worth a Jewess' eye. Launcelot accompanies his new master to Belmont, where on our next meeting we find him comfortably installed; very much at home, and in a new livery. He is still bandying words with Jessica, who is now the wife of Lorenzo, and, in the absence of Portia, mistress of the house. His self-esteem seems to have grown in his new service, his vocabulary has increased, and he speaks with more authority, but with the same unfortunate propensity for punning.

He is obviously favored by his "betters," and like many others of small mind takes advantage of that fact to speak with a freedom that is not entirely devoid of impudence. However, his humor atones for much, and his good-nature accomplishes the rest. The dialogue quoted (with some slight eliminations) below takes place in the garden of Portia's house (Act 3, Scene 5). It is apparently the continuation of a discussion of the old theme of Jessica's parentage, and her father's sins; Launcelot taking a literal view of the scriptural precept in her case. Laun. Yes, truly; for, look you, the sins of the father are to be laid upon the children; therefore, I promise you, I fear you. I was always plain with you, and so now I speak my agitation of the matter; therefore, be of good cheer; for, truly, I think thou art damned. There is but one hope in it that can do you any good. Jess. And what hope is that, I pray thee? Laun. Marry, you may partly hope that you are not the Jew's daughter. Jess. So the sins of my mother should be visited on me.

Laun. Truly then I fear you are damned both by father and mother; thus when I shun Scylla, your father, I fall into Charybdis, your mother; well, you are gone both ways. Jess. I shall be saved by my husband; he hath made me a Christian. Laun. Truly, the more to blame he; we were Christians enow before; e'en as many as could well live, one by another. This making of Christians will raise the price of hogs; if we grow all to be porkeaters, we shall not shortly have a rasher on the coals for money. The entrance of Lorenzo puts an end to Launcelot's calamitous predictions, and that gentleman having little appreciation of the latter's verbal fooling, directs him. "Go in, sirrah: bid them prepare for dinner." To which the irrepressible Launcelot replies: "That is done, sir; they have all stomachs." With some impatience, Lorenzo exclaims: "Goodly Lord, what a wit-snapper art thou!

then bid them prepare dinner." This does not discourage the boy, who responds: "That is done too, sir; only, cover is the word." Lorenzo, with some irritation, seeks to bring this equivocation to a close, and now gives his directions with emphasis: "I pray thee, understand a plain man in his plain meaning; go to thy fellows, bid them cover the table, serve in the meat, and we will come in to dinner." The imperturbable self-esteem and good-nature of Launcelot is proof, however, against censure or sarcasm; and with unruffled gravity he replies with humorous iteration: "For the table, sir, it shall be served in; for the meat, sir, it shall be covered; for your coming in to dinner, sir, why, let it be as humors and conceits shall govern." And having thus delivered himself, Launcelot makes a dignified exit from the scene. Lorenzo's apostrophe to Launcelot's discourse is an admirable summary of the shallow mind, that mistakes the mere jugglery of words for wit.

It was a favorite method of Shakespeare's to furnish humor in his "simples" and serving men, and proved an amusing diversion in their mouths: but, in others, it is the unconscious tribute that ignorance and incapacity pays to knowledge and distinction. Lor. O dear discretion, how his words are suited! The fool hath planted in his memory An army of good words; and I do know A many fools that stand in better place, Garnish'd like him, that for a tricksy word Defy the matter. Launcelot makes one more brief appearance, to announce the early return of Bassanio to Belmont, and as a harbinger of glad tidings we leave him in the service of a noble master and a gracious mistress. The business of the Shakespearean clowns is traditional. It has been handed down by comedians from generation to generation. It was familiar to every stage manager of experience, in the days of the resident stock company; and any departure from the conventional business of these parts was, until recently, viewed with disapproval, and regarded as presumption. A most interesting and unique performance of Launcelot Gobbo was given some years ago by that sterling character actor, Mr.

Robert Peyton Carter, so long associated with Miss Maude Adams. I was the Shylock of the performance to which I refer. Mr. Carter's Launcelot was not a boy, but a humorous and mischievous young man. At no time during the performance, even when trembling with fear before his master, was a smile absent from his face; with this result, the audience were smiling all the time Launcelot was in view. You knew, as you looked at him during his self-argument between duty and inclination, that his mind was already made up to run away, and that his conscientious scruples (if he really ever had any) were overcome before he uttered them. His practical jest with his father, when he misdirects him to the Jew's house, indicated that it was but a sample of the pranks the young man had played upon him all his life, and the bright twinkle in his eyes as his young mistress called him "a merry devil" connoted a thousand tricks that the young rascal had played during the term of his service in the Jew's house and robbed that somewhat dreary residence of its "taste of tediousness." Mr.

Carter's business on the delivery of Jessica's letter to Lorenzo was original and good; his exaggerated obeisance to the several friends in company with that gentleman being particularly characteristic and happy. In the last act of the comedy, too frequently omitted in representation, Mr. Carter's appreciation of Shakespearean humor was manifest. The importance of his new employment, his vanity in his "rare new livery," and confidence of privileged service were delightfully presented, and rounded out a performance as notable as it was consistent and effective. "The Merchant of Venice" held an important place in the repertoire of the late Mr. Richard Mansfield. In discussing the various characters in the play with that distinguished gentleman, he told me he considered the Launcelot Gobbo of Mr. A. G. Andrews, of his company, the best he had ever seen. It did not surprise me, for I knew Mr. Andrews to be a thorough and painstaking artist, studying out to the most minute detail every point of his make-up, costume and business. Mr. Andrews presented Launcelot as a boy to whom life was a very serious problem.

His costume was extremely characteristic; his doublet and trunks were worn and patched, his hose seamed and darned, and his sandal-shoes with their leather straps had seen service hard and long. He made his first entrance from his master's house hastily, then looked round fearfully and, finding himself unobserved, sat down upon the door-step and seriously held self-communion as to the justice of leaving his master's service. In other respects he followed the traditional business of the part; but nothing was exaggerated, rather subdued; his object being to present Launcelot as a possible human being, and not an impossible clown, as many comedians have done. The humor of the part was always present, never intruded, but conveyed naturally and without effort: the result being a well proportioned and artistic performance. How to cite this article: Warde, Frederick. The Fools of Shakespeare. London: McBride, Nast & Company, 1915. Shakespeare Online. 20 Feb. 2011. (date when you accessed the information) < >.

______ Shakespeare's Language: The Merchant of Venice — Utah Shakespeare Festival Shakespeare's Language: The Merchant of Venice Shakespeare's Language: The Merchant of Venice Many students—and adults for that matter—find Shakespeare difficult to read and hard to understand. They accuse him of not speaking English and refuse to believe that ordinary people spoke the way his characters do. However, if you know more about his language, it is easier to understand. One idea that may help is to remember that his plays are written in two forms: prose and verse. In The Merchant of Venice prose and verse are both used extensively. Prose Prose is the form of speech used by common people in Shakespearean drama. There is no rhythm or meter in the line. It is everyday language. Shakespeare’s audience would recognize the speech as their language. Characters such as murderers, servants, and porters use prose. However, many important characters can also speak in prose. The majority of The Merry Wives of Windsor is written in prose because it deals with middle-class. Launcelot Gobbo from The Merchant of Venice speaks in prose.

For example: “To be ruled by my conscience, I should stay with the Jew my master who (God bless the mark!) is a kind of devil; and, to run away from the Jew, I should be ruled by the fiend, who (saving your reverence) is the devil himself” (2.2.20–23). Launcelot Gobbo, a servant of Shylock, debates with himself in humorous terms whether to seek a new employer, because he dislikes Shylock and his practices. Because there is no rhyme or rhythm, and the text flows without concern of where the line ends on the page, we recognize the passage as prose. Consequently, we can tell that Launcelot is a commoner who speaks with the language of an Elizabethan audience member. Verse The majority of Shakespeare’s plays are written in verse. A character who speaks in verse is a noble or a member of the upper class. Most of Shakespeare’s plays focused on these characters. The verse form he uses is blank verse. It contains no rhyme, but each line has an internal rhythm with a regular rhythmic pattern. The pattern most favored by Shakespeare is iambic pentameter.

Iambic pentameter is defined as a ten-syllable line with the accent on every other syllable, beginning with the second one. For example: “The pound of flesh which I demand of him Is dearly bought. ‘Tis mine, and I will have it” (Shylock, 4.1.101–102). The accent occurs on every other syllable, and the natural accent of each word is placed in that position on the line. At times Shakespeare found it necessary to take a vowel out of a word so that the rhythm of the line would not be interrupted. For example, strain’d and bless’d is pronounced as one syllable, as in the following speech by Portia: “The quality of mercy is not strain’d, It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath: it is twice bless’d; It blesseth him that gives and him that takes” (4.1.189–92) Shakespeare used this style of writing as a form of stage direction. Actors today can tell by “scanning” a line (scansion) what words are most important and how fast to say a line.

When two characters are speaking one character may finish the ten syllable line started by the other character, showing that one line must quickly come on top of another. This is called a shared line or a split line. For example: Portia: You stand within his danger, do you not? Antonio: Ay, so he says. Portia: Do you confess the bond? Antonio: I do. Launcelot Gobbo Launcelot Gobbo Launcelot Gobbo is a quick-witted young fellow who is originally Shylock’s servant. Badly-fed in that household, he switches his allegiance to Bassanio. He is friendly with Jessica, whom he teases remorselessly about her Jewishness. A trickster, he also teases his blind father, pretending to be someone else, and not letting him complete his sentences when they are asking Bassanio to take him into his service. On his last day at Shylock’s, he serves as go-between for Jessica and Lorenzo. He follows Bassanio to Belmont, and remains there with Lorenzo and Jessica. Old Gobbo | Shakespeare Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Share Ad blocker interference detected!

Wikia is a free-to-use site that makes money from advertising. We have a modified experience for viewers using ad blockers Wikia is not accessible if you’ve made further modifications. Remove the custom ad blocker rule(s) and the page will load as expected. Old Gobbo is the father of Launcelot Gobbo, the clown in The Merchant of Venice. Although he only appears in a brief comedic segment in Act II, Scene II, we find out quite a bit about him; his wife (Launcelot's mother) is named Margery, and he owns a "fill-horse", or plow horse, implying that he may be a farmer. His first name is unknown, but it's possible that his son is named after him; Launcelot's name in the quartos and folios is "Launcelet" (diminutive, meaning "little Launce"), and he refers to himself specifically as "young Master Launcelot", so his father could be "old Launcelot" as well as "old Gobbo." (This isn't necessarily the case; it may have been customary to indicate the age of the person spoken of.

Launcelot later refers to Bassanio as his "young master", although he could be insultingly contrasting Bassanio with Shylock, the latter being his "old master" in both senses of the word.) According to Launcelot, Old Gobbo "did something smack, something grow to, he had a kind of taste..." The meaning of these lines is somewhat unclear, but they appear to point to a tendency towards infidelity, and perhaps a penchant for cheating and trickery in other matters. When Old Gobbo shows up, he appears to be rather feeble--he is "sand-blind" (as opposed to stone-blind, which at the time meant "completely blind"--although Launcelot believes that a better term would be "gravel-blind") and doesn't recognize his own son. Launcelot is at first delighted and practices trickery on his father's blindness, but he soon becomes perplexed when his father continues not to recognize him, and then frustrated as he attempts to convince him of his own identity. When Launcelot proves himself to be Gobbo's son by mentioning that "Margery, your wife, is my mother", the two are happily reunited.

Old Gobbo is delighted to find that his son has grown an impressive "beard"; according to theater tradition, he has accidentally seized upon Launcelot's long hair, and Launcelot has little or no beard at all. Launcelot informs his father that he plans on running away from his master, Shylock , unless he can get a position among Bassanio's servants; finding that Old Gobbo has brought a "dish of doves", he encourages him to give them to Bassanio, instead. At this moment Bassanio happens along with several of his servants. Father and son attempt to explain the situation to him, with Launcelot simultaneously encouraging Gobbo to do the talking and interrupting everything he says. Finally, Bassanio tells Launcelot that Shylock has already recommended him as a servant, and tells Old Gobbo to accompany Launcelot to Shylock's house to take his leave. Launcelot walks away with his father, and, although Launcelot recurs, Old Gobbo makes no more appearances in the play. Characters from The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare Please see Shakespeare's Characters A to Z for a complete pronunciation guide.

The Duke of Venice The Prince of Morocco, suitor to Portia The Prince of Arragon, suitor to Portia Antonio, a merchant of Venice Bassanio, his friend, suitor likewise to Portia Salanio, Salarino, Gratiano, Salerio, friends to Antonio and Bassanio Lorenzo, in love with Jessica Shylock, a rich Jew Tubal, a Jew, his friend Launcelot Gobbo, the clown, servant to Shylock Old Gobbo, father to Launcelot Leonardo, servant to Bassanio Balthasar, Stephano, servants to Portia Portia, a rich heiress Scene 2 Scene 2 Bookmark this page Manage My Reading List Summary After the last, rather serious scene in Belmont, we return to Venice, and the initial emphasis here is on Launcelot Gobbo, Shylock's servant, an "unthrifty knight." Launcelot is debating with himself as to whether or not he should remain in Shylock's service; he is tempted to leave and find employment elsewhere, but he is unable to make up his mind.

The decision is difficult, he says, for he feels the weight of his "conscience hanging about the neck of his heart." The comedy builds when Launcelot's father, Old Gobbo, comes onstage. Old Gobbo is "more than sandblind" and does not recognize his son. He sees before him only the dim image of a man who he hopes can direct him to Shylock's house. Launcelot is delighted to encounter his father, whom he has not seen for a long time, and so he conceals his true identity and playfully confuses the old man with much clowning and double-talk, before revealing who he really is and kneeling to receive his father's blessing. Bassanio now enters, along with Leonardo and other followers, and he is enthusiastically talking of preparations for a dinner tonight, complete with a masque, to which he has invited his friends to celebrate his departure for Belmont, where he will begin his courtship of Portia. Launcelot is quick to note Bassanio's good mood, and he immediately speaks to him about Bassanio's hiring him as a servant. Bassanio agrees and orders a new set of livery for his new servant.

Gratiano enters, looking for Bassanio, and tells him, "I must go with you to Belmont." Bassanio is hesitant, but he finally consents, urging Gratiano to modify his "wild behaviour," which Gratiano agrees to do. But he will do that tomorrow. Tonight, he says, shall be a night of merriment, a gala inaugurating his setting out for Belmont. Analysis This scene, like Scene 1 and most of the rest of the nine scenes in Act II, deals with minor diversions and developments in the plot — the elopement of Lorenzo and Jessica, and Launcelot Gobbo's transfer of his services from Shylock to Bassanio. Almost all of this scene is taken up with the antics of Launcelot Gobbo, and it may be useful here to consider for a moment the clowns and comedy of the Elizabethan stage. Two of the most important members of any Elizabethan theatrical company were the actor who played the tragic hero and the actor who played the clown.

It is obvious why the actor who played the great tragic roles was important, but it is perhaps not so easy for us to see, from the standpoint of the modern theater, why the role of a clown took on so much importance. The clowns, though, were great favorites with the Elizabethan audiences. Their parts involved a great deal of comic stage business — improvised actions, gestures, and expressions — and they had their own special routines. Launcelot, for example, would be given a great deal of leeway in using his own special comic devices. Much here depends on the actor's "business" — mime, expressions of horror or stupid self-satisfaction, burlesque or parody movements around the stage, and so forth. This sort of scene is not written for verbal comedy (as Portia's scenes are); rather, Shakespeare wrote them to give his actors as much scope as was necessary for visual antics. Today we call these gimmicks "sight gags" or "slapstick." The dialogue itself is not particularly witty because the comedy was meant to be mostly physical.

Launcelot's opening speech takes the form of a debate between "the fiend" and his own "conscience." The comedy here lies in the fact that the jester-clown Launcelot should regard himself as the hero of a religious drama, but this gives him the opportunity to mimic two separate parts, jumping back and forth on the stage and addressing himself: "Well, my conscience says, 'Launcelot, budge not.' 'Budge,' says the fiend. 'Budge not,' says my conscience" (18-20). Visually, this makes for good comedy; while reading this play aloud, one can enhance this brief scene by imagining that the voice of the conscience is delivered in high, falsetto, flute-like tones; the voice of the fiend, in contrast, is delivered in low, evil-sounding growls. In addition to this clowning business, verbal confusion was also a favorite device in this sort of scene, and it occurs throughout the play.

Notice, for example, the directions for finding Shylock's house which Launcelot gives to his father: "Turn up on your right hand at the next turning, but at the next turning of all, on your left; marry, at the very next turning of no hand, but turn down indirectly." Small wonder that Old Gobbo exclaims, "'twill be a hard way to hit!" There is more visual comedy when the two Gobbos confront Bassanio at line 120. Here, it is suggested by the lines that Launcelot bends down behind his father, popping up to interrupt him at every other line and finishing his sentences for him. This kind of comedy depends on visual and verbal confusion, especially mistaking obvious words and phrases. Particularly characteristic of this clowning is the confusion of word meanings. Here, Launcelot speaks of his "true-begotten father," and he uses "infection" for affection, "frutify" for certify, "defect" for effect, and so on. Toward the close of the scene, two more details of the central plot are developed.

First, Launcelot leaves Shylock's household for that of Bassanio; this prepares us for a similar, if a much greater defection from Shylock by his daughter, Jessica, in the following scene. It also makes it possible for Launcelot to appear at Belmont in the final act, where a little of his clowning adds to the general good humor. Second, Gratiano announces his intention of going to Belmont with Bassanio; he must be there to marry Nerissa and take part in the comedy of the "ring story," which ends the play with lighthearted teasing wit. The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare : Characters of the Play The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare Characters of the Play The Prince of Arragon and The Prince of Morocco, suitors to Portia. Antonio, a merchant. Salanio, Salarino, and Gratiano, friends to Antonio and Bassanio. Lorenzo, in love with Jessica. Shylock, a rich Jew. Tubal, a Jew, his friend. Launcelot Gobbo, a clown, servant to Shylock. Old Gobbo, father to Launcelot.

Leonardo, servant to Bassanio. Balthasar and Stephano, servants to Portia. Portia, a rich heiress. In The Merchant of Venice, the true religion of Launcelot Gobbo is highly controversial as no mention of it has been directly made anywhere in the play by Shakespeare. So which religion does Launcelot Gobbo belong to? | Merchant of Venice Questions | Q & A | GradeSaver In The Merchant of Venice, the t... Merchant of Venice In The Merchant of Venice, the true religion of Launcelot Gobbo is highly controversial as no mention of it has been directly made anywhere in the play by Shakespeare. So which religion does Launcelot Gobbo belong to? In Act II Scene 5, Shylock refers to him as "Hagar's offspring" and Hagar is known to be a Gentile (= non-Jew), suggesting he might have been a Christian. Launcelot even said, "I am a Jew if I serve the Jew any longer", in Act II Scene 2.

But it doesn't seem too natural for Shylock to keep him in his service if he was a Christian, mistrusting and a hater of Christianity as Shylock is. Asked by Curious An #389632 on 9/27/2014 1:52 AM Last updated by rituparna r #389884 on 10/2/2014 3:40 AM Answered by rituparna r #389884 on 9/28/2014 4:34 AM No doubt the topic of discussion is controversial. If, however, on the other hand including with the lines and the impact of lines regard on the topic of discussion are considered together from the whole play within then, the answer itself is concerned,I opine, to Act 2 Sc 5 also along with the Related links from other acts with other scenes. What of it has been said of Hagar's offspring is completely been true and naturally from that aspect he might can be proved to be the Christian.

At the next , if it is considered of 'fool of' Hagar's offspring (servant) as has said by the Devoted Jewish Shylock(''Our holy Abraham'', "Our nation'', ''Our holy Sabbath'', ''Our Synagogue'' etc.), apparently from therein I can consider the 'merry-devil' man belongs to the Jewish religion though with a baffling and a circumstantial mind,with special emphasis to Act 2 Scene 2, against Shylock that has been linked from Act I Scene 3 on the only perspective of ill treatment of belief upon a 'faithful' servant by the master. Source(s) Answered by Curious An #389632 on 9/29/2014 12:31 AM Respecting all your views, rituparna r, I would like to amend one fault in my question. I'd said "no mention of it has been directly made anywhere in the play by Shakespeare" but that turns out to be a huge flaw that I'd overlooked.

I didn't notice it until recently, but in Act III Scene 5, Launcelot speaks to Jesicca in the context of her conversion to Christianity from Judaism, saying "WE were Christians enow(enough) before, e'en(even) as many as could well live one by another." Here, Launcelot confirms it in a crystal clear manner that he is a Christian and certainly not a Jew. My sincere apologies for the mistake and this contradiction but I'm glad to find the correct answer to this question myself, with help from the original Shakespearean text.

Answered by rituparna r #389884 on 9/29/2014 3:20 AM Adoration to the increase of your further knowledge and your sincerity.As to put the question myself too in which religion Launcelot Gobbo belongs, I might can also think to me with a little reference to Curious An's thoughts, however in this way that suppose, when the 'merry-devil' to Jessica is saying of the following -per word, it is wholly after the both characters' whirlpool to Christianity as a domestic servant Launcelot Gobbo's new extravagant Master Bassanio from Shylock,the Jew and Jessica-Lorenzo, with no doubt Launcelot Gobbo teases Jessica about her Jewish nationality in Act 3 Sc5. The noted thoughts are: "LAUNCELOT Truly, the more to blame he: we were Christians enow before; e'en as many as could well live, one by another.

This making Christians will raise the price of hogs: if we grow all to be pork-eaters, we shall not shortly have a rasher on the coals for money." I care the doubt, with a more clarification particularly to these following two lines along with a clear emphasis to myself on the word 'if'- "if we grow all to be pork-eaters, we shall not shortly have a rasher on the coals for money." ,including to the explanation of the character of stubborn Shylock where he says also "but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you." Answered by rituparna r #389884 on 10/2/2014 3:40 AM Furthermore like many of situational-readers my continuation of stammering to the topic of religiosity continues to the respectable referential line " Truly, the more to blame he: we were Christians enow before;" . "The word 'enow' is something obtrusive to me.

Macmillan says, the word enough means - used for saying that you do not want to experience any more of something because it is annoying or boring -." Source(s) Log In To Your GradeSaver Account Email Characters: The Merchant of Venice — Utah Shakespeare Festival The Prince of Morocco: One of Portia’s unsuccessful suitors The Prince of Arragon: Another unsuccessful suitor Antonio: A wealthy Venetian merchant, Antonio is a close friend of Bassanio. Bassanio: Frivolous with his money and in love with Portia, Bassanio solicits a loan from his friend Antonio in order to win Portia’s hand. Solanio: A friend of Antonio and Bassanio Gratiano: Bassanio’s light-hearted and talkative friend who falls in love with Portia’s gentlewoman, Nerissa. Salerio: Another friend of Antonio and Bassanio Lorenzo: A friend of Antonio and Bassanio, Lorenzo elopes with Shylock’s daughter, Jessica. Shylock: An intelligent but embittered Jewish moneylender, Shylock lends money to the hated Christian Antonio, with a “pound of flesh” as his bond. He is the father of Jessica.

Tubal: A friend of Shylock Launcelot Gobbo: A “clown” and servant of Shylock who thinks Shylock is the devil, Launcelot Gobbo eventually leaves to become Bassanio’s jester. Old Gobbo: The father of Launcelot, Old Gobbo has come to Venice to seek news of his son. Leonardo: A servant of Bassanio Balthazar: A servant of Portia Stephano: A servant of Portia Portia: Famous for her beauty and wealth, Portia will marry the man who can successfully solve the riddle her deceased father has decreed for her. She marries Bassanio and goes to court to save Antonio. Nerissa: Portia’s merry gentlewoman who marries Gratiano Jessica: The young daughter of Shylock, Jessica falls in love and elopes with the Christian, Lorenzo. × The Merchant of Venice Characters from LitCharts | The creators of SparkNotes Portia's servant and confidante, Nerissa ultimately marries Bassanio's companion, Gratiano. Launcelot Gobbo A clownish servant, who leaves Shylock in order to work for Bassanio.

Salerio A Venetian nobleman, friendly with Antonio, Bassanio, Gratiano, and Lorenzo. Solanio A Venetian nobleman and good friend of Salerio. Prince of Morocco A Moorish prince who comes to woo Portia at Belmont. He asks Portia not to judge him by the color of his skin, but incorrectly picks the gold casket. Prince of Aragon A Spanish nobleman who woos Portia at Belmont. He incorrectly picks the silver casket. Duke of Venice Presides over the trial of Antonio. Although the Duke attempts to persuade Shylock to show Antonio mercy, he knows that Venice's commercial interests depend on a consistent application of its laws, so he can't make an exception to help Antonio. Old Gobbo Launcelot's blind father. Tubal A Jew in Venice, and Shylock's sole friend and confidante during the course of the play. Doctor Bellario Portia's cousin and a well-respected lawyer in Padua. He never appears on stage. Balthazar The servant Portia sends to obtain her letters of introduction and costume from Bellario. Balthazar is also the name Portia takes when she impersonates a lawyer at court.

Cite This Page Choose citation style: Weigel, Moira. "The Merchant of Venice Characters." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 22 Jul 2013. Web. 16 Jan 2017. Weigel, Moira. "The Merchant of Venice Characters." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 22 Jul 2013. Web. 16 Jan 2017. Weigel, Moira. "The Merchant of Venice Characters." LitCharts LLC, July 22, 2013. Retrieved January 16, 2017. Weigel, Moira. "The Merchant of Venice Characters." LitCharts LLC, July 22, 2013. Retrieved January 16, 2017. Copy to Clipboard

Question: In which Shakespeare play is Launcelot Gobbo the servant to Shylock?
Answer: The Merchant Of Venice